My moments…some are teachable, some are merely moments

3 DAYS, 2 NIGHTS IN AMSTERDAM

GETTING THERE

To get from Barcelona to Amsterdam, I hopped on a Vueling flight. Unlike Ryanair, I didn’t have to pay ridiculous baggage fees, so I was already a happy camper.

WHERE TO LAY YOUR HEAD ON A PILLOW

My friends and I stayed at Hotel Europa 92, which was centrally located to the things we chose to do during our time in Amsterdam. While the location was cool, that’s where the buck stopped. Personally, I would not choose to stay here again. Lack of heat (Amsterdam was cold and rainy…I had to breakdown and buy a coat, bah humbug), not-so-friendly staff, rotten cheese for breakfast…no bueno. This was not my cup of tea.

GETTING AROUND AMSTERDAM

It was fairly easy to get around Amsterdam, especially with a tram stop right across the street from our hotel. When we weren’t hopping on the tram, we opted for Uber or a taxi instead. We did this when we got caught in the rain, which happened several times during our trip. A heads up, there’s a night tax for taxis. I can’t recall the exact price, but I remember it was disrespectful! I didn’t rent a bike, but I plan to do that the next time I visit Amsterdam (speaking it into existence).

WHERE TO EAT

Dutch pancakes and dutch apple pie…both definitely make my top ten list of foods I enjoyed in Europe. Head to Wikel 43 for dutch apple pie. It was packed, so be prepared to wait. Trust me though, it is worth the wait!

Now onto these pancakes. Looking at De Vier Pilaren’s menu, I was both excited and skeptical. I eventually settled on a pancake burger and had no clue what to expect. Y’all, it changed my life! We were all stuffed from the savory pancakes, so we didn’t have room to try the sweet poffertjes. Looking at them, I can only imagine that they taste like mini-funnel cakes. I’m still bummed I didn’t get to try the poffertjes. If you dine at De Vier Pilaren, consider going dutch on the bill and the bites. Perfect way to cut down on the costs and try multiple things on the menu.

Finally, if you want a bunch of options, head to Food Hallen. Similar to Time Out in Lisbon, it’s a lively market with an array of food, a dj, and the perfect social atmosphere.

THINGS TO DO

If it floats your boat, visit a coffee shop. Notice I didn’t include this in the section on food (hint hint). It’s my understanding that a café is a casual restaurant/bar, a koffiehuis (coffee house) serves coffee, and a coffee shop specializes in recreational activities. #WhenInAmsterdam

Okay, now for the activities. Minus a few exceptions, I’m not a huge fan of museums or historic sites. Nonetheless, I thoroughly enjoyed visiting the Anne Frank House. Grab your headphones, comfortable attire, and get lost in the history for a few hours. I could’ve stayed longer; the best 9 € I ever spent. I’d recommend purchasing tickets at least a day in advance to be on the safe side.

After you’ve had your history fix, enjoy the more chill things that Amsterdam has to offer. Walk around the Red Light District, check out the canals in the Jordaan District, take a picture in front of the I Amsterdam sign. Whatever you decide to do, you won’t be disappointed. I can’t wait to get back to Amsterdam. Even in the dreary weather, I had a great time!

Nice post! I was impartial about my trip to Amsterdam. Gloomy weather and couldn’t quite get a grasp on their local food. Probably my favorite experience from my trip was going to the Van Gogh museum.. amazing!